


Monsters

by Gage39



Series: DC Elseworlds [2]
Category: Justice League - All Media Types, Shazam! (2019), Shazam! | Captain Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Demons, Dismemberment, Gen, Homelessness, Monsters, magical powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:41:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27128704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gage39/pseuds/Gage39
Summary: When Captain Marvel shows up missing an arm the Justice League is thrown into disarray.  Things only get worse when Cap keeps showing badly injured and refusing their help.  When Batman and Superman learn the truth of what's really going on Earth itself is put in jeopardy.
Series: DC Elseworlds [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1218666
Comments: 21
Kudos: 213





	1. Terrifying Beginnings

Pain. It encompassed every fiber of his being and even beyond it. Desperately he reached out with his magic, feeling for somewhere, _anywhere_ safer than where he was. Ah, there. He latched onto the place and used the last of his magic to _will_ himself there. A familiar golden light wrapped around him and he finally allowed himself to drift into oblivion.

* * *

Batman frowned at the monitors. Captain Marvel was late which was very unusual as he usually called or was the subject of a breaking news bulletin but there had been nothing. He wasn’t answering his communicator and it wasn’t making the sound he had learned to associate with it getting zapped by magic lightning…accidentally of course. Sure there were times when Captain Marvel couldn’t be reached but not when he was _expected_. It was unnerving especially since he was one of the League’s powerhouses and seemingly invincible.

The phone rang and Batman’s scowl deepened. The number was known to only a few (Alfred) and it was to be used only in case of a true emergency (Jason brooding in the Bat Cave did _not_ count). It was with great reluctance that he answered it.

“This is Batman.”

“Good morning, sir,” Alfred greeted him. “I was just wondering if you were aware of Captain Marvel’s whereabouts.”

“Do you know where he is?” Batman straightened. Alfred was an excellent source of information, always finding something Bruce had missed.

“Yes, actually I do. He appeared in Commoners Park in Fawcett City. He appears to have been mutilated and I’m not actually sure if he’s alive or not.”

“We’re on the way,” Bruce promised then promptly hung up the phone and headed towards the cafeteria.

Superman and J’onn were sitting at a table chatting about one of Clark’s recent articles. Before they had a chance to greet him Batman said, “I need the two of you to come with me. Captain Marvel was badly mutilated and dumped in a park in Fawcett.”

“Is he dead?” J’onn asked anxiously. No one knew Captain Marvel very well but he was still considered a friend. Honestly, given his abilities, J’onn probably knew him the best. He was the only one that knew how lonely the demigod truly was and how _happy_ he was when J’onn reached out to him, the way he did for all his teammates when they were distressed.

Batman's lips thinned. “Agent A wasn’t sure,” he admitted. “Regardless I’ll need someone to carry him and just in case there is still an enemy or some residual magic someone who isn’t vulnerable to it should come along as well.”

“Not a problem,” Superman stood, disregarding his half-finished meal. “Let’s get going.”

J’onn nodded in agreement and the three walked out with grim expressions drawing concerned looks from the other members, sensing that something big was happening.

It didn’t take long to get there as Commoners Park was only a fifteen-minute walk from the zeta tube located in a broken photo booth. Despite the name the park wasn’t very pretty and mostly boasted dead or dying plants and rotten trees. Rats scuttled about looking for any crumbs, some were even bold enough to climb on the rusty benches.

Despite the flashing lights and sirens there were no gawkers which Batman found strange but welcome. A couple of paramedics awkwardly stood over Captain Marvel's unmoving body arguing amongst themselves while the police sighed in relief upon seeing the three members of the Justice League.

“Thank god,” a harried man in a rumpled gray suit approached them, a badge hanging around his neck. “I’m Detective Rysher. We weren’t sure how to get in touch with you guys and we didn’t know what to do with him.” He jabbed a thumb in Captain Marvel's direction. “From what we can tell he doesn’t have a heartbeat and he’s bleeding pretty heavily but every time the paramedics try to touch him they get by some kind of electricity or something like that. We’ve already lost about three grand worth of equipment.”

Batman sighed heavily. At least they hadn’t taken him to a hospital where he could have shorted out even more. That was a good sign though – corpses didn’t usually electrocute people.

“Thank you, officer,” Superman said then continued walking. He couldn’t pick up a heartbeat or even the sound of breathing. There were strange markings on some of his bones and one of them was missing completely.

“Oh, no,” J’onn stared at the bloody stump where Captain Marvel's right arm had once been. Several chunks of flesh were missing from all over his body and his once white cape was now stained red with his blood. Blue eyes stared blankly at the sky not even blinking as Batman and Superman moved into his line of sight. J’onn knelt by Cap’s head, his hands close too but not quite, touching the messy black hair. “He’s alive,” a smile broke out on J’onn’s face. “I can’t really reach his mind but he is in there.”

“That’s good,” Batman allowed himself a small sigh of relief. At least he wouldn’t have to plan a funeral for the other hero. “Perhaps J’onn should carry him,” he suggested when Superman knelt to pick him up.

Superman looked confused for a second then hissed and pulled his hand away as lightning nipped at his fingers. “That’s probably a good idea,” he agreed. “I’ll call ahead and have someone prepare the med-bay so we can go ahead and see about getting the bleeding stopped.”

“Good,” J’onn carefully picked up Captain Marvel, the lightning not affecting him as much as it had Superman.

Captain Marvel was not a small man. He was over six feet tall and weighed at least two hundred pounds, all of it pure muscle. He was one of the few people in the world that could go toe-to-toe with Superman and come out the victor. To put it simply, he was not a light man yet J'onn carried him with ease.

No one in Fawcett gave them a second look as they headed back to the zeta-tube causing Batman to once again wonder why nobody seemed. To. Care. It was beyond maddening and Bruce swore to thoroughly investigate when all of this was over with.

“What the hell?” were the first words out of Flash’s mouth when he saw them.

“What did that to him?” Green Lantern's eyes were wide in shocked disbelief. He had _never_ seen Cap in such a state before, none of them had.

“I don’t think I wanna know,” Flash admitted. “If it can do that to Cap what would it do to us?”

Green Lantern nodded in agreement. “Good point.”


	2. Lies &  Misdirection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Marvel wakes up but isn't very forthcoming about his attack.

“Well I do have some good news,” J'onn had finally managed to get all of Captain Marvel's blood off of himself and most of it from Cap.

“He stopped bleeding?” Superman asked hopefully.

“Is he awake?” the past two hours had seemed unusually long to Batman.

J’onn shook his head. “Not yet,” he admitted, “but his arm is almost fully regenerated. By my estimate, it should be fully back within the next hour at which point I suspect he will wake up. I believe he’s in a magical healing coma.”

“That’s good,” Superman exhaled a sigh of relief. They had all been worried about how Captain Marvel would react to only having one arm but now it seemed that they wouldn’t have to. Plus they didn’t know of any disabled heroes or villains so they had understandably worried about his future with the Justice League.

“And then we can find out what kind of threat we’re facing,” Batman had already been coming up with possible attack and defensive strategies. Once he found out the exact kind of threat he could easily tailor the plans better.

J’onn gave him an exasperated look then froze. “The Captain is awake.”

When he came to, the first thing Captain Marvel became aware of was that he was staring at a ceiling, an oddly familiar gray ceiling. He blinked then blinked again just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. Nope, the ceiling was still there. In fact, it looked a lot like the ceiling in the Watchtower. But why would he be there? He didn’t think he had teleported there before passing out but maybe he had. If that was the case then he should probably start looking for a good excuse as he highly they would like the truth even though a voice (Solomon) encouraged him to tell them _some_ of the truth (not all of it, never all of it).

“Captain Marvel?” J’onn appeared in his field of vision, Superman and Batman next to him. “Are you alright?”

Instead of answering Captain Marvel lifted his right arm and flexed his fingers. “I’m back in one piece,” he wasn’t very proud of the slight shake in his voice.

Clearly, the others had heard it as well for they exchanged worried glances. “Captain?” Batman was the first to speak. “Can you tell us who did this to you?”

“It was a demon,” Captain Marvel said after a moment, having decided to go with a half-truth.

“A demon?” one of Superman's eyebrows rose. “Since when do you fight demons?”

Captain Marvel pushed himself to his elbows and scowled. “I fight demons all the time, thank you. I _am_ the Champion of Magic after all. I take on stuff like that all the time.”

“You do?” Superman wondered why he was so surprised. Perhaps it was the Captain's goofy nature of his eternal optimism but he always seemed to forget that the other hero was magical most likely because he rarely (if ever) used magic, choosing instead to rely on his fists.

Captain Marvel rolled his eyes. “And people call me oblivious,” he muttered.

“Where is the demon now?” Batman decided to simply focus on the topic at hand and not get sidetracked like Clark was doing.

Marvel didn’t even since as he sat all the way up and swung his legs off the side of the bed. “In its home dimension. I have to check every so often and make sure that they don’t because and come here.”’ Seeing the skeptical look on their faces he sighed and said, “This isn’t the first time something like this has happened and I doubled it’ll be the last. It’s just part of the job. I’ve got to head back to Fawcett now, anyway.”

The three heroes exchanged glances again then Batman spoke up. “Alright but we would appreciate it if you come here if this happens again.”

“And call if you need help,” Superman added. “Just because you can regenerate doesn’t mean you should get eaten if you don’t have to.”

“It’s not fun,” Cap admitted, ruefully rubbing his shoulder.

“I would think not,” J’onn said somberly.

“Bye.”

They watched in silence as Cap walked out of the med-bay, his cape and costume still stained with his blood. “I have a bad feeling about this,” Superman said at last.

“As do I,” J’onn added.

“He’s not telling us something,” Batman agreed.

* * *

It was late that night when Captain Marvel finally arrived at the abandoned subway station that Billy called home. It was damp and smelled like a sewer but he wouldn’t trade if for the fanciest mansion in the world. It was _his_ and it was _safe_ , far safer than any foster home could ever be.

His bed was actually an old mattress that was missing most of the stuffing with an old trench coat that served as a blanket. Eleven identical red shirts were neatly stacked underneath two schoolbooks he had gotten from the library. An extra pair of white sneakers and two worn pairs of jeans completed his meager wardrobe and the threadbare tiger plush was the only real personal belonging that he possessed.

He opened his mouth to say the magic word when something occurred to him and he frowned. “It’s probably not a good idea,” he decided. “If it happens while I’m Billy there’s no way I could survive it let alone regenerate. Plus it’ll save on food” he looked ruefully at the empty chip bag. “It’s logical that’s all. Perfectly logical. I’m not scared or anything like that, that’d be silly since I have the Courage of Achilles after all,” Captain Marvel continued to ramble much to the confusion of the rats and insects that lived there.

“So what should I do now?” he wondered then brightened. “I know – I’ll work on my grimoire and then I can go gather some magical ingredients later for some of my potions.”

Happy that he had come up with a plan (of sorts – not needing to sleep did have the occasional drawback) he crossed his legs and began to float as a thick red book with his symbol appeared in front of him. A pen appeared in his right hand and he began working, content to ignore his problems for as long as he could.


	3. Rising Suspicions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Captain Marvel surfaces with another injury Batman calls an emergency meeting to figure out what's going on.

It had been five days since Captain Marvel lost (and subsequently regrew) his arm. Everyone was still curious but had chosen _not_ to bring it up after realizing that it did upset Cap (granted Black Canary and Batman had to point it out first but still) although they were all still worried.

Most everyone in the Watchtower was in the cafeteria either eating or swapping stories (both in Flash's case) when a bright light filled the room. Everyone shielded their eyes then quickly opened them when heard a loud thud.

Captain Marvel lay on the floor bleeding profusely. His left leg gone and there were huge chunks of flesh missing from all over his body. Flash was the first to recover and he quickly ran to Captain Marvel's side, anxiously checking for any signs of life. He couldn’t find any but remembered Captain Marvel had been like this just a few days earlier and had come out of it just fine.

“I called Batman,” Green Lantern pared next to him, pressing Cap’s already bloody cape against his wound. “He said he was on his way and that he would call Superman.”

Flash nodded in approval. “Hopefully J’onn will show up soon cuz I don’t I can carry him to the med-bay, at least not without some major help.”

“I could probably do it,” Green Lantern offered, forming a giant green hand with his ring. “Or not,” he muttered when it fizzled out after touching Captain Marvel.

“Not again,” J’onn sighed as he flew towards them. “Flash, make sure the way to the med-bay is clear and find some towels so we can staunch the bleeding while his leg grows back.”

“On it,” Flash disappeared then reappeared mere seconds later. “Everything’s been taken care of,” he reported.

J’onn nodded in thanks and once again effortlessly picked up the large man and flew out of the cafeteria.

By the time Batman and Superman arrived Captain Marvel had been situated and J’onn was faithfully applying pressure against the slowly regenerating limb.

“What happened?” Batman demanded.

J’onn shrugged. “All I know is that he teleported into the cafeteria. Green Lantern tried to bring him in here but Captain Marvel's lightning negated his power ring.”

“Well it’s a good way to defend himself,” Superman pointed out with a frown. If Captain Marvel hadn’t declared himself as magical when he joined Superman would have thought that he was a fellow Kryptonian, their physical similarities hadn’t helped any. If nothing else, however, this situation had highlighted just how alone the two were (well Clark had his adopted parents) as Batman had confided that he had no clue who Captain Marvel was and his suspicions that there were no loved ones. It was a sad thought but not entirely unexpected since most of them had tragic backstories that had contributed to their careers as superheroes.

“I’ve had enough of this,” Batman scowled. “I’m calling an emergency meeting _now._ ”

“I need to stay here,” J’onn looked up.

“That’s fine, let me know when he wakes up,” Batman turned and left the room, his cape swishing behind him.

“The same goes for me,” Superman said before following Batman.

Even though it was in the middle of the afternoon it took less than an hour for everyone to gather. A few of them wore a mixture of regular clothes and their costumes as not everyone had somewhere to stow them at work. Batman didn’t bother lecturing anyone as he knew it wouldn’t do any good.

“What’s this about?” Black Canary asked, adjusting her blue stockings, the only part she hadn’t had time to change. “I was in a meeting.”

“Same,” Green Arrow sighed, “but I’m glad you called us. I thought I’d be there forever.”

“I’m afraid this is very serious,” Batman glared at the couple then pulled up the feed from the med-bay on the monitor so everyone could see it. “It appears Captain Marvel was attacked again and this time he’s missing a leg.”

“Do we have any theories on who could have done this?” Black Canary frowned.

Superman spoke up, his voice tight. “He said it was a demon but Batman, J’onn and I are positive he’s not telling us the full truth.”

“Do we have any proof?” Green Lantern asked, albeit hesitantly. He didn’t want to question Batman or Superman (he didn’t think of himself as suicidal) but someone had to and it might as well be him.

As expected Batman's eyes narrowed even further and his words were clipped as he all but growled, “Nothing definitive which is why I need everyone to keep an eye out. If there’s something else at play here then we need to be ready.”

Flash raised a hand. “Maybe we should ask another magic user,” he suggested. “Like Zatanna or John Constantine. They might know more.”

Batman growled. Literally. “I would sooner tell the Joker my real name then ask John Constantine for _anything_. I never want to hear that name again.”

“Okay,” Flash shrank down in his seat. “Sorry I brought him up.”

“What about Zatanna?” Superman pressed. “She’s not as bad as Constantine is.”

Batman looked pained as he reluctantly admitted, “I haven’t been able to locate her for several months now. I suspect she’s not currently in this realm.”

“Lovely,” Flash sighed. “So basically you just want us to spy on Cap and hope he doesn’t knock us out when he realizes what we’re doing.”

“Basically,” Batman nodded.

The rest of the Justice League started at him for a moment then Green Arrow said, “If he gets mad I’m throwing you under the bus.”

“Totally,” Green Lantern agreed. “Are we done now? I’ve got stuff I really need to get done.”

“Fine. Meeting adjourned.”

In no time at all the room was empty save for Batman and Superman who remained seated, staring at the med-bay feed.

“Do you think he’ll be okay?” Superman finally asked. “I know I wouldn’t be if I kept getting eaten even I did regenerate.”

“I don’t know,” Batman shrugged. “I just don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the reviews so far and please continue to do so as they motivate me to keep writing. I have not officially abandoned “The Marvelous Adventures of the SuperBat Family” but I did lose all my notes for it so if I can ever find them again I do plan on finishing it. If you have any ideas feel free to pass them on.


	4. Worst Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A horrible truth is revealed.

Almost a week after Captain Marvel's leg regenerated the Justice League had a meeting (a real one and not a secret emergency meeting). The meeting had been going on for almost two hours now and everyone was getting bored. Flash and Green Lantern were openly yawning and even Superman had a bored expression on his face. The Wisdom of Solomon was honestly the only reason Captain Marvel had any idea what was going on as it kept him informed.

Batman was getting ready to wrap up the meeting (even he was bored at this point) when Captain Marvel started glowing. Everyone turned to stare at him, their confusion turning to worry when they realized how scared he was.

“Not now,” Captain Marvel begged. “Please, not now.”

“Captain?” Superman asked hesitantly. “Are you okay?”

“No, no, not now,” Cap continued begging as the glow got brighter and he began to fade away. Without even thinking Batman and Superman lunged forward, grabbing hold just as he disappeared, all three of them vanishing.

“What the hell?” Flash jumped to his feet. “Where did they go?”

“I don’t know,” Green Lantern frowned. “But wherever they are I hope they’re all right.”

“Where are we?” Superman demanded.

“I don’t think we’re on Earth anymore,” Batman observed. They were in a forest and the trees all seemed to have faces carved into them. The ground beneath their feet was yellow with large patches of red (blood Batman was willing to bet) but the biggest clue was the purple sky, two blue suns and one golden moon.

“We’re in a pocket dimension,” Captain Marvel was pale. “You guys should not have come. It’s far too dangerous for you.”

“Why is that?” Superman demanded. “Where are we? Is this where you’ve been eaten?”

Captain Marvel flinched then reluctantly nodded. “I can regenerate so it’s not a big deal for me but you guys can’t and that’s one reason why I’ve never asked for help. I need to find you a place to hide and quick.”

“No,” Batman said firmly. “We’ll help you fight ‘em off. Between the three of us I’m sure we can cause some major damage.”

“What’re its weak spots?” Superman wasn’t looking forward to battling something that could overpower Captain Marvel but he was willing to give it his best shot. If getting knocked around meant that Cap wouldn’t get eaten that was good enough for him.

“You guys don’t get it!” Captain Marvel was looking more and more frustrated which was unusual for the easy-going demigod. ‘There isn’t going to be a battle – there never has been.” He closed his eyes and swallowed before continuing. “I don’t fight the monsters – I’m the sacrifice that they eat instead of invading Earth. It’s one of my duties as the Champion of Magic – one that the Wizard forgot to mention when I got my powers.”

Batman fought the Joker on a regular basis. He thought he had seen the worst that humanity had to offer: he was wrong. This, what Captain Marvel had just told them, was beyond horrifying. A quick glance at Superman showed he was thinking the same thing and Captain Marvel…well if the set of his jaw and the slight shake in his hands were anything to go by he was scared and Bruce didn’t blame him.

“We can fight,” Superman reiterated.

Captain Marvel shook his head, backing up a few steps. “I’m sorry but I just can’t risk it.” He lifted his hands and muttered a quick incantation then turned and walked away.

Batman tried to follow him only to run into an invisible wall, one that seemed to extend all the way around them, effectively caging them. The wall even extended above them as Superman discovered when he attempted to fly out.

“Captain Marvel,” Superman shouted but he gave no sign that the heard them. He was almost out of sight when a fierce roar split the air, the trees bending and breaking from the shockwave.

They felt the creature before they saw him, the very ground shaking as it finally came into view. The creature was _massive_ with giant teeth and glowing red eyes. It was three times bigger than Superman and Captain Marvel together and seemed to be made out of a black, inky darkness. It roared again upon sighting Captain Marvel who spread his arms wide as if inviting it which, they reflected, he technically was and Superman wondered if he could meet Captain Marvel's wizard and break his nose.

It was difficult to keep quiet as the monster tore into their friends and his pained screams didn’t make it any easier. In the end they just stood there and growled underneath their breaths. They wanted so badly to do something, to interfere, to _help_ but, as Batman pointed out, Captain Marvel had gone to great lengths to keep them safe and he had healed from every encounter. (Physically at least, Batman had his doubts about Captain Marvel's mental state.)

The instant the monster finally retreated, its belly full their invisible cage disappeared and they rushed forward to the motionless form of their friend. Thankfully he wasn’t missing any limbs this time but he was still covered in bite marks, all of which were bleeding. He was shaking and his blue eyes were unfocused.

“Captain?” Superman knelt down. “Can you hear me?”

“He’s in shock,” Batman frowned. “We really need to get out of here before that thing comes back.”

Superman carefully picked up Captain Marvel, a frown crossing his face when lightning didn’t nip at his fingers. “Any ideas on how to get back?” he asked.

Batman opened his mouth but before he could say anything a familiar golden light enveloped them. Mere seconds later the two found themselves back in the Watchtower’s meeting room. Their hands were still stained with blood but captain Marvel was nowhere to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay but our power was out and just now came back on.


	5. Expected Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Marvel is still missing and the Wizard makes a bold choice, one that will have unforeseen consequences.

“What on Earth were you thinking taking those mortals with you?” Mamaragan was furious, his eyes glowing as thunder cracked and echoed around them.

Captain Marvel was finding it difficult to focus on anything the wizard had to say, the blood loss making him light-headed. “I – I didn’t bring them, they grabbed hold when you teleported me. So technically it’s your fault they wound up there,” he pointed out then yelped and barely managed to avoid getting hit by the wizard’s staff. For someone that was several centuries old and (supposedly) on the verge of death, the wizard still had a lot of fight left in him.

“How dare you blame me for your failure?!” Mamaragan roared in fury. “Your job is to stop the monsters – not play hero with a bunch of mortals.”

Captain Marvel thought it wise not to mention that Wonder Woman (who was currently visiting her home) was a demigoddess. There was no reason to antagonize the Wizard any more than he already had. He could already tell that this wasn’t going to end well for him anyway. Maybe he should just return to the Watchtower – he needed to heal anyways even if he dreaded the questions that he knew were coming.

What if they thought he was weak (he was though, so very weak) because he didn’t fight the monsters? If they realized just how weak he was then they might not trust him to watch their backs anymore. If they kicked him out of the Justice League he honestly didn’t know if he could handle it. Then of course there was still the possibility of them learning who he truly was. That alone would get him kicked out.

“I want you to leave the Justice League – they know far too much as it is,” Mamaragan ordered.

“No,” Captain Marvel protested. “I refuse to leave the League. We’ve done a lot of good and saved a lot of lives. Maybe…maybe they can help us with the demons. Especially when Wonder Woman comes back – she’d be a great help.”

The Wizard slammed his staff into the ground. “Absolutely not!” he roared. “Mortals should not be involved in our affairs.”

Captain Marvel swallowed and hesitantly pointed out, “Technically Billy was a mortal when you gave me these powers.”

The Wizard’s face darkened and he pulled out a dagger, grinning when Captain Marvel paled. “It’s high past time you learned not to defy me.”

* * *

Batman was pacing, a worried expression on his face as Superman kept trying to locate Captain Marvel but to no avail. It had been three hours since they had been returned to the Watchtower. During that time there had been no sign of Captain Marvel and no signal from his communicator. At this point Batman was willing to admit that he was beyond worried. If only he knew whether or not Captain Marvel was still in that other dimension, which alone would put him at ease.

“Pacing isn’t going to help,” Superman reminded him.

“I can’t help it,” Batman retorted. “You’re just as worried as I am. You’ve called him over one hundred times.”

Superman shrugged unrepentantly. “I’m not going to deny it, especially after we saw earlier.”

After a long discussion Batman and Superman had come to an agreement not to tell anyone what they had learned until after they talked to Captain Marvel. For one thing it was his own personal business and for another they didn’t want to risk scaring him off until they knew all the details. His mental state was something else that would have to be determined before they let him back out into the field. Regeneration or not losing a limb (or two) was still a very traumatic experience for someone especially when you considered all of the monsters (both literally and figuratively) they battled on a daily basis.

Just then there was a familiar burst of light and Captain Marvel once again appeared in front of them. He looked worse than when they had last seen him. There were cuts all over his face, hands and torso.

“These are defensive wounds,” Batman picked up a limp hand. “He was trying to fight someone off. He must’ve used the last of his energy to teleport himself here.”

“Yeah, but who was he fighting? I highly doubt that demon we saw uses a knife.”

Batman frowned, a million theories swimming through his brain. “It might have been the Wizard,” he said slowly. “If he’s the one that fed Captain Marvel to the monster it stands to reason that he wouldn’t be happy we followed him even if it was by accident. He probably took it out on him.”

“He doesn’t deserve any of this,” Superman declared angrily.

“No, he doesn’t,” Batman agreed. “At least his wounds seem to be healing.”

“Some good news is better than none I guess,” Superman sighed.

* * *

“After all I’ve done for him how dare that brat turn on me!” Mamaragan raged. “How dare he! He needs to learn his place and I know just how to do it. He’ll see that his precious band of mortals don’t stand a chance against those demons. He’ll see and he’ll regret crossing me.”

* * *

“So what do you think is going on?” Flash asked, spinning in his chair.

Green Lantern shrugged. “Not a clue,” he reached out and grabbed the back of Flash's chair, forcing him to face the monitor. “Pay attention,” he scolded.

Flash pouted. “You’re no fun,” he grumbled.

“It’s work,” Green Lantern rolled his eyes. “It’s not supposed to be fun and – oh my gosh. I’m turning into Batman. Next thing you know I’ll be brooding in the corner, spying on everyone. This cannot be happening to me. I’m too young to have a mid-life crisis.”

“Hal,” Flash's voice cut through his whining. “Something bad’s happening in Fawcett City.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay. Please read and review and thanks to all of those that already have.


	6. Different Battlegrounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The League splits into two groups and Batman meets the Wizard Mamaragan.

“Crap,” Batman cursed as he peered over Flash's shoulder. “This is bad.”

“How did it get here?” Superman demanded as he looked at the shadowy monster standing in downtown Fawcett. “I thought it was trapped in that other dimension.”

“It was,” Captain Marvel's voice was grave and he was leaning against the wall for support. “The Wizard must have released it after I refused to quit the Justice League. This is all my fault, I never should’ve disobeyed him. Maybe if I quit now he’ll call off the attack.”

“Absolutely not,” Batman's voice was firm. “We have no guarantee that he’ll keep his end of the bargain. We should focus on stopping that thing first.”

Captain Marvel shook his head. “You can’t destroy it. If it’s in the mortal realm the only way to send it back is to defeat whoever summoned it and make them send it back.”

“So we have to take on the Wizard,” Superman frowned. He didn’t like magic at all as of was one of his two weaknesses but he would help fight the Wizard for Captain Marvel's sake.

“No, you could never hope to defeat him. Only the Champion of Magic is strong enough to take him down and he knows that,” Captain Marvel explained.

“So you need a diversion,” Batman mused. “What if the Justice League attacks the demon while you and I take on the Wizard?”

Captain Marvel slowly nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. “That could work. He likes to laugh at mortals fighting demons and stuff like that.”

“I’m so glad we can provide this jerk with some entertainment,” Green Lantern quipped. “Never mind all the death and destruction going on as long as he gets a few laughs in we’re good.”

“What is with you today?” Flash stared at his friend. “First you were Batman and now you’re just being an ass.”

“Not a clue,” Green Lantern shrugged. “I think it’s just one of those days where I can’t guarantee what’s going to come out of my mouth.”

“Maybe we should get going now,” Captain Marvel suggested. “I’d really like Fawcett to still be standing when this is all over with.”

“Good point,” Superman nodded. “Alright, everyone, let’s go.”

“So how do we get to the Wizard?” Batman asked once everyone else had left.

Captain Marvel sighed. “The fastest way to get to the Rock of Eternity is to carve a set of symbols into a door seven times. I would appreciate it if you didn’t look while I do this. It’s nothing personal but you can’t guarantee that your mind won’t get probed and someone unsavory gets ahold of them.”

It was, Batman had to admit, a valid point. If the situation was reversed he would have done the same thing. So he said nothing and turned around, waiting until Captain Marvel gave him the all clear. He didn’t even have time to look at them before Cap was pulling him through the glowing doorway.

The Rock of Eternity was enormous and rather bare. Strange carvings covered the walls and there were seven disfigured statues all with labels such as “Lust” and “Gluttony”.

“The Seven Deadly Sins,” Captain Marvel's voice was low. “They were imprisoned a millennia ago and they want nothing more than to be free so they can wreak havoc on Earth.”

Batman eyed the statues warily and took in the rest of his surroundings. There were multiple chambers branching out and what Batman assumed to be the heart of the Rock of Eternity were seven thrones in a circle. The center throne was occupied by an elderly man with dark, leathery skin wearing red garments.

“I am Mamaragan, the Wizard. Who dares enter my presence?”

“I’m Batman and I-“

“I was not speaking to you, _mortal,”_ the Wizard sneered. “I was speaking to my Champion.”

Captain Marvel cleared his throat nervously and stepped forward. “It’s a pleasure to see you again so soon. I brought Batman to see you because he’s-“

“Stop blathering, I know why you’re really here. You want to defeat me and send the demon back. Unfortunately, you’re not strong enough to defeat me.”

Captain Marvel smirked. “That’s not what Black Adam told me. You know he’s actually really nice without that insanity spell you cast on him.”

Mamaragan’s eyes widened then narrowed. “How the hell did you accomplish that?” he hissed.

Cap’s smirk grew. “John Constantine, Zatanna…there’s quite a few magic users that don’t like you. They were all more than willing to help me out when I told them I wanted to take you down. I wasn’t planning on overthrowing you quite so soon but you forced my hand.”

The Wizard’s face had steadily been growing darker and he finally snapped. “How dare you challenge me!” he roared. “After all I’ve done for you! Without me you would still be weak and helpless, scrounging for scraps in trash cans,” he sneered.

Captain Marvel rolled his eyes. “Newsflash – I’m still doing that. You told me that it wasn’t right to use my powers for my personal gain. Remember?”

“Silence!” the Wizard roared angrily. “Your personal life is of no concern to me! I control all magic in case you’ve forgotten. If all the magic users insist on defying me then it’ll take away their magic and yours.”

Captain Marvel blanched and Batman straightened. He didn’t like magic but he knew that it kept a lot of nasty stuff locked away and there were many that were kept alive with magic. The loss of magic would plunge the world into chaos and that was something that Batman wanted to avoid at all costs.

“You won’t get away with this,” Batman pulled out a batarang and struck a fighting pose.

“You’re lying,” Captain Marvel's voice wasn’t overly confident. “The Rock of Eternity is the source of all magic but you can’t actually control it. Only the Champion can do that and there’s no way in hell that I’ll do that, no matter what you threaten me with.”

“Perhaps I should find myself a new Champion,” the Wizard said thoughtfully. “I now take back the powers I granted you. Shazam!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the reviews and please continue to do so as it makes me happy to read them.


	7. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After battling the Wizard Captain Marvel is left picking up the pieces with a little help from Batman.

Lightning struck and thunder cracked but when the smoke cleared Captain Marvel still stood there looking vastly relieved. “Oh thank the gods,” he sighed.

“How?” an infuriated Mamaragan demanded. “How do you still have your powers?”

“It would appear he’s stronger than you give him credit for,” Batman commented, secretly relieved. Captain Marvel was unusually structured for a magic user, not causing mischief or taking people’s money. Besides, the demigod didn’t use it very often, using his brain and brawn instead.

“I talked to the gods themselves,” Captain Marvel explained. “I told them about you and they decided to revoke your access. No one can take them away now and since I still have them I can defeat you. You may have been good once but the isolation caused the power to go to your head. You’ve been corrupted and you know what happens to those that have been corrupted.”

Mamaragan was pale now, shaking his head and desperately clutching his staff. “If anything happens to me you’ll have to take my place and stay here for all eternity. You’ll become just as corrupted as I have.”

Captain Marvel shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not but if that day comes then I trust that someone will stop me just like I’m about to stop you.” A glow began to grow between his hands, forming what appeared to be a giant ball of lightning. “Thank you for everything, Wizard. I will miss you. May you find peace and joy on the other side. Farewell.”

As the ball of lightning expanded Batman was forced to shield his eyes in order to avoid being blinded. It wasn’t until he heard the Wizard cry out and the light vanished that he opened his eyes again. The Wizard was gone and there was a pile of ashes there instead and his staff lay discarded on the ground. Captain Marvel knelt and picked up the staff, looking at it sadly. “It had to be done,” Batman placed a hand on his shoulder. “It was the only way to save Fawcett.”

“I know,” Captain Marvel stood. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it though.”

“I’d be concerned if you did,” Batman admitted. “Can you send the demon back now?”

“Yes,” Captain Marvel raised the staff and began speaking. The language was ancient and foreign, one Batman didn’t recognize. Electricity sparked in the air around him and his eyes began to glow. The emblem on his chest glowed as well and Batman's hair stood on end. “It has been done,” Captain Marvel announced, his voice sounded older, more powerful than it had before. “I shall go and repair the damage done to Fawcett City.”

“And after that?” Batman asked. “Do you have to stay here?”

“Nah,” Captain Marvel shook his head. “I mean I’ll have to visit a lot more often but thankfully I don’t have to live here.”

Remembering his earlier comment Batman said, “There are rooms available on the Watchtower if you need a play to stay.”

Narrowed blue eyes regarded him warily. “I don’t want your pity,” his voice was flat.

“It’s not pity,” Batman hastened to reassure him. “The offer is open to every member of the League. Green Lantern practically lives there already and somehow I doubt that you’ll be as annoying as he is.”

 _That_ got him a laugh and a full-fledged grin then Captain Marvel said, “I’ll think about it.”

“The rooms are lead-lined so Superman can’t see or hear anything,” Batman reminded him.

“We’ll see,” Captain Marvel hedged, “but I need to go. I have many things to do.”

“Sure,” Batman agreed and the two disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

It had been almost a month since the demon had been banished. Captain Marvel had disappeared shortly after cleaning up Fawcett City and hadn’t been seen since. His villains were still vanquished but even they weren’t sure who or what had stopped them. Batman had reluctantly taken him off of the duty roster and his communicator could no longer be reached. It was, therefore, surprising to everyone when Captain Marvel appeared in the middle of the cafeteria, wielding the Wizard’s staff. His costume was rumpled and he had a few cuts and bruises but appeared to be in good spirits.

“Hi, guys,” he waved. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You too, Cap,” Flash gave the demigod a wave then went back to eating.

“Yeah where you been, buddy?” Green Lantern asked. “We haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Sorry,” he grinned sheepishly. “Being the Guardian and Protector of Magic takes a lot more time than I thought. Boy it’s a lot of responsibility. Is Batman here? I wanted to talk to him.”

“I’m here,” Batman walked in. “It’s good to see you again, Captain. How have you been?”

“Busy,” Captain Marvel groaned. “I had no idea just how much stuff the Wizard had to do. Keeping balance in this realm is exhausting. Anyways, I came to apologize for my absence and to offer a few upgrades to the Watchtower.”

Batman raised an eyebrow. “What kind of upgrades?”

“The kind that’ll make it possible for you to reach me and for there to never be another communication issue.”

Batman blinked. “I would like that upgrade very much,” he admitted. “Come with me to the Communications Room.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“My offer to stay here still stands,” Batman said as they exited the cafeteria. “And Black Canary said she’s available to talk if you ever want to.”

Captain Marvel winced. “I may take her up on that. I will admit I’m having some trouble adjusting. The good news is that the demon and I struck a deal so I sent him to another dimension, one with lots of other demons that taste better than I do.”

Batman nodded in approval. “I had you put down on the reserve list but I can have you put back on active duty if you want,” he offered.

Captain Marvel shook his head. “I appreciate the offer but I’m extremely busy these days. I’ll keep in touch more often though, I promise. Who knows, maybe I’ll get a Champion of my own one day, one that actually knows what they’re getting into.”

Batman laughed and patted Captain Marvel on the back. “I’m sure whoever you pick will make a wonderful Champion.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wahoo this story is finally finished! Thanks so much to all of you who read and reviewed this story and I would appreciate it if you did this to this chapter as well so I can say all of my chapters got reviewed. Please?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again. Once again Billy Batson has invaded my brain and my notebooks and so I bring this story to you. I hope you all like it and please read and review.


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